“A right is a moral principle defining and sanctioning a man’s freedom of action in a social context.” When a robber’s action is upheld rather than punished, everyone’s rights are voided. If violation of rights is lawful, then rights are unlawful.

To rule that a violation of rights may be decided by the electorate, is to declare that the source of individual rights is not natural law but whatever the majority votes. Such a ruling reverses the recognition that “individual rights are the means of subordinating society to moral law” and instead makes moral law subordinate to society. So, the collective has “the right” to declare what shall be moral?

Everyone knows that’s wrong. Everyone knows votes cannot make something moral. But if City Councilors hold themselves above right and wrong, that means they are amoral. If so, why should we vote for their Proposed Ordinance?

We shouldn’t. Look at some facts. Each morning, we arise from a bed covered with sheets and blankets made and distributed by business people. We wash and dry with products made by business people. We clean our teeth with products made by business people, dress in clothes made by business people, sit down to breakfast on furniture made by business people and eat food produced and made available by business people. Entering one’s vehicle, created and sold by business people, we drive to a gas station, operated by business people, to buy gas -- drilled for, refined and distributed by business people.

The good of the community is created and advanced by business – the complex, coordinated work of cooperating individuals who create, distribute and voluntarily exchange products and services with others. It is not achieved by treating the providers of values as thugs and gouging them with triple damages, guilty of what City Council Members presume. Whose rights are they, anyway? Rights belong to each individual -- employers, employees, professionals, scientists, artists, house husbands and wives -- everyone, even politicians. They are not the exclusive property of City Councilors.

Do you really believe that City Councilors can provide a single iota of the things we take for granted, thanks to our business people? Do you really believe that City Councilors have "the right" to violate our rights? During Early Voting -- starting September 13 -- or on October 3, turn over the ballot and answer those questions. I am voting NO.